The adriamycin-iron chelate binds to DNA to form a ternary complex which cleaves H2O2 to yield .OH. Of the anthracyclines tested, those most active in this chemistry are also cardiotoxic. Adriamycin is able to abstract iron from such biologically important sites as ferritin and transferrin. Adriamycin reduces Fe3+ to Fe2+ after it chelates the metal.
